Monday, May 11, 2009

Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Author Dessert Bible

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened but still firm
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups rolled (not quick cooking) oats
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions

Beat butter and sugars by hand with a wooden spoon until pale yellow and very light.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.  Add oats and mix to combine.  Whisk together remaining ingredients and fold into oatmeal mixture using a large spatula or wooden spoon.  Place dough in heaping tablespoons on parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes or until edges are brown.  Cookies will still feel slightly undercooked and soft when removed from the oven.  Repeat until all cookies are baked.

Just made these today, and this is my new favorite oatmeal cookie recipe.  I only made 1/2 of it and ended up with 24 cookies.  Very chewy and tasty.  You definitely do not want to overcook them, or they'll get too dry.

Posted by QueenBe at 19:41:58 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Tropical Kumquat Cake



Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 1/2 cups chopped kumquats
1 cup chopped nuts
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple (well drained)
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Instructions

In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar and oil. Fold in dry ingredients and mix well..  Add chopped Kumquats, nuts and pineapple.   Pour into greased and floured tube pan.  Bake 1 hr and 15 minutes at 350F.  Cool, remove from pan.

I had never even eaten a kumquat before I made this cake, but I couldn't pass up an awesome store special awhile back.  Despite the tedious chore of removing each seed from these little fruits, I really enjoyed trying something new, and the cake was moist and delicious.  Note: I did not add the nuts listed in the recipe.  I also made a simple glaze with some of the leftover pineapple juice and powdered sugar.

Posted by QueenBe at 14:07:43 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, March 20, 2009

Chicken, Eggplant and Tomato Soup

Author adapted from Healthy Heart Cookbook


Ingredients
    • 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
    • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • juice of 1 lemon
    • freshly ground black pepper
    • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
    • 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped, or 28 ounces canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
    • 3/4 pound eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
    • 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
      Instructions

      Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add the garlic, half the lemon juice and pepper.  Reduce heat and add the chicken.  Simmer until meat feels springy, about 5 minutes.  Remove chicken with slotted spoon and cut into small cubes.  Toss with mint and remaining lemon juice.  Set aside to marinate.  Add the tomatoes and thyme to the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the eggplant and cook for 5 minutes more.  Stir in the chicken and its marinade and simmer the soup for 2 minutes.  Sprinkle feta on top and serve.

      4 servings
      Calories 306
      Fat 8 g
      Sodium 470 mg
      Carbohydrates 23 g
      Fiber 5 g
      Protein 38 g

      This soup surprised me by how delicious it was.  It's one of those recipes that looks very simple and humble, but the flavors were amazing.  I made a half recipe and used canned tomatoes, and I think we ended up with at least 4 smaller servings, so if you make the full recipe, you may have more than 4 servings.

      Posted by QueenBe at 09:19:35 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

      Friday, March 06, 2009

      Upside-Down Cranberry-Ginger Spice Cake


      Author adapted from Cooking Light December 2004

      Ingredients
      3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
      2 tablespoons butter
      1 1/2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
      3 cups fresh cranberries
      1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
      2 teaspoons baking powder
      1/4 teaspoon salt
      1 teaspoon cardamom
      1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
      1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
      1/4 cup butter, softened
      1 cup granulated sugar
      2  large egg yolks
      1/2 cup fat-free milk
      1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      2 large egg whites
      1/4  teaspoon cream of tartar
      Crystallized ginger, to taste
        Instructions

        Heat a 9-inch round cake pan over medium heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter to pan, stirring until melted. Stir in ginger; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; arrange cranberries on top of brown sugar mixture.

        Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Combine 1/4 cup butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

        Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter along with crystallized ginger to taste; pour batter over cranberries in prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes; run a knife around outside edge. Place a plate upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate.

        Tried this recently and added some spice and crystallized ginger to original recipe.  It won rave reviews at a church potluck.

        Posted by QueenBe at 11:15:51 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

        Wednesday, January 21, 2009

        Sauteed Spinach

        Author Cuisine at Home


        Ingredients
        1 lb. spinach, stemmed (about 16 loosely packed cups)
        2 tablespoons olive oil
        3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
        1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
        salt and pepper to taste
        balsamic vinegar
        Instructions

        Wilt spinach in boiling water. Add it all at once, stir, and drain immediately in a colander—do not let spinach sit in the water. Press as much liquid from it as possible, forming it into a disk.

        To saute, heat oil in a large saute pan over med.-high heat. Add garlic and pepper flakes; saute until garlic turns golden, about 1 minute. Stir constantly.

        Add the disk of spinach and break it up with a wooden spoon, stirring to coat with oil and garlic. Cook just until heated through, about 1 min. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer spinach to a serving platter.

        Drizzle spinach with balsamic vinegar before serving.

        Tried this one recently, and it was so good, I'm going to make it again in a couple of days for guests.  I've sauteed spinach before, but placing it in boiling water briefly before sauteeing really amped up the flavor tremendously.

        Posted by QueenBe at 18:01:13 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |